MLB Star Wins Home Run Derby with Famous Pro-2nd Amendment Phrase Painted on His Bat
A slogan found on bumper stickers supporting the Second Amendment found its way into the Major League Baseball spotlight Monday.
The Greek words “molon labe” were among those on several custom-painted bats used by New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso as he won baseball’s Home Run Derby for the second year in a row, according to ESPN.
The words have their root in ancient Greek writings about the defiance shown by a Spartan army at the Battle of Thermopylae, in which an Greek army largely composed of Spartans held off a vastly larger Persian army, even though the Greeks were eventually overcome.
The phrase — allegedly used by the Spartan leader Leonidas when told to surrender his weapons — can be translated as “come and take them,” and has been used down through history as a message of defiance, particularly as it comes to gun rights, and defending the Second Amendment.
Among its American connections, a flag used in 1835 by Texans fighting for their independence from Mexico bore the phrase “Come and take it” along with an image of a cannon, in a latter-day iteration of the language and spirit of the Spartans, according to the Houston Chronicle.
As ESPN tells it, Alonso worked with artist Gregory Siff to create the bats. Although painted bats are not allowed in regular games, the rules allow them for the Home Run Derby.
“I put all of these kinds of important messages and important moments in his life and kind of interweaved them onto all the bats,” Siff said.
Even though the words resonate deeply withe Second Amendment supporters, Siff said the context was considerably different for Alonso’s bat.
Siff said his use of the phrase was linked to Alonso being a fan of the movie “300,” a modern retelling of the Spartan heroic sacrifice at Thermopylae.
“Anytime I’m in the box, that’s my mentality,” Alonso said. “Even though I’m outnumbered nine to one, I’m in my little area, like when the Spartans defended, only 300 of them defended against all odds. That’s how I describe how I play.”
“I have that on my cleats and the inside part of my belt. That’s me transforming into somebody else when I go play because who I am now, there’s a lot different the man I am between the lines. That’s my switch,” he said.
Alonso told the New York Post that the bats came after intense discussions with the artist.
“I talked to him and told him about my story and my personality, and I gave him creative freedom and he gave me the absolute best arsenal out of everyone today. Just super creative. His mind is wonderful,” he said.
“He’s a great dude. He’s actually here in the outfield seeing his work being put to the test. It was awesome, really awesome that I was able to collaborate with him, and his artwork is just absolutely incredible. And I believe for it to be functional and put balls over the fence, it’s truly remarkable. It’s really fun and kind of a great meshing of two worlds,” he said.
It’s a meshing that apparently paid off for Alonso in his dominating performance in the Derby. As the New York Post reported, Alonso was “barely challenged” by the other hitters through the three rounds of the contest, and set a record in the first round with 35 home runs, besting the previous mark set in the 2008 Derby.
Alonso told ESPN he put a lot of emotion into what was chosen, noting that one bat had the colors of New York University because it was where his grandfather attended college.
“It’s kind of full circle,” Alonso said. “Because for me, I started my professional career in New York in the big leagues and my dad was born in Queens, so this city is very special to me. I mean, with purple, people may think it’s the Rockies colors, but they’re really NYU colors dedicated to my grandpa.”
Alonso said he would be fine with painted bats being used all the time.
“I don’t see an issue at all,” Alonso said. “There could be a lot of red tape with that one, but I think I have no issue at all with guys being able to use whatever color bats they want.”
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